Heart anxiety

[Kingchris]

Hi my name is Chris im 21 years old and I've been dealing with health anxiety for a few years now I've had almost every symptom known to man from sharp chest pains dull chest pains to skipped heart beats in a row and even high blood pressure ranging from 140/97 to 130/95 but normally blood pressure at rest has been around 117/75 to 106/70 I've had so so many er and doctor visits it's insane. My doctor has listened to my heart and that everything sounds beautiful and that my EKGs with great but he had me do an stress test and sent me for an echo and 30 day event monitor which was all amazing she even told me that she doesn't think she's seen an echo that good before.. I know right you would think that would be my mind to rest and I mean It did for the most part but then again I would feel weak one day or something strange and of course relapse and I hate it right now it's my blood pressure that's been worrying me I'm just use to it being high all the time so 106/70 and 103/78 I want to start back working out again but I find myself always having a panic attack afterwards so I end up stopping. And also the skipped heartbeats strike out of nowhere. So any advice on how I should approach my anixety because my way just isn't working. I used workout all the time with no problems but now I feel any type of chest pain or something and I'm done. Someone help me please.

[Kingchris]

This really sucks

[Mloanddb]

I remember when I was having the horrible chest pains they sent me to the ER like you after they said I was fine, I did feel better for a while but it all came back it's terrifying I just take it one day at a time been dealing with this for two years almost some days are horrible some fair some ok. But I can't remember a time where in the past two years I wasn't worrying and I was never a person like that before all this started. I also experiance shortness of breath besides the chest pains 😟

[Kingchris in reply to Mloanddb]

Yes that's how I am i will be going good for so long and then bam back to square 1 and yes I've had everything from chest pains to shortness of breath to skipped hearts beats

[Kingchris in reply to Mloanddb]

Yes that's how I am i will be going good for so long and then bam back to square 1 and yes I've had everything from chest pains to shortness of breath to skipped hearts beats

[Hidden]

I know exactly how you feel. I've had two ekgs done and both time I was told everything was ok. I had labs done, everything was fine. It gave me peace of mind for a little while and then a few days ago I started having back pain and numbness in my arm and I convinced myself it had to be heart related. I have a doctors appointment set up so I'm hoping they'll run some tests to give me that peace of mind again.

[roninmd]

Sounds like the Dr.'s have ruled out a medical cause. You need to find yourself a good therapist who deals with anxiety. Health anxiety even better. You want to go to a therapist that has a specific plan/time frame and set of exposures to help desensitize your body and stop the checking reassurance seeking behaviors. Go to the library and get Grayson's Freedom from ocd. (Does not matter if you have diagnosed OCD or GAD or Panic Disorder or what. . . it is all anxiety disorders and they are all successfully treated the same way with exposure and response prevention.) Read Grayson's section on health anxiety. Go online and go to Rogers memorial hospital/ behavioral health webpage. They are experts in treating this kind of disabling anxiety. They have centers in different areas of the country. Also McClean in Boston also has an excellent program. I have had severe health anxiety -cardiac directed-since I was at least your age. I am now almost 50. Still have not yet had "the big one", but before I was successfully treated for anxiety I spent years running to ERs, cardiologists and such and even lost my job as a high school assistant principal. Getting the all clear reassurance Dr. feels good for like anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours or a few days and then you are right back at square one thinking you are dying or ready to go into cardiac arrest. Please call Rogers, if you can't go to them they may be able to recommend someone in you area who can help. They have a list of therapists and psychiatrists who specialize in this. The number for Rogers is 1-800-767-4411. Best wishes.

[Devin76oh]

I have been there. And sometimes I am still there. I have had every test imaginable for my heart. from X-rays to CT scans, MRI's, echos, stress tests, heart monitors, and of course everything comes out normal and great. But I still felt all of the symptoms.

I know it is easier said then done to just not pay attention to it, and I would always hate when others would tell me. But it is true. The reason why we all feel every. little. thing. is because we are always so focused on it. If you react differently and focus on something different it will go away.

[Kingchris in reply to Devin76oh]

It's especially hard whenever I try working out it makes me stop

[Kingchris in reply to Devin76oh]

Because I feel how my heart rate is going up and then it just keeps going higher and higher until I calm myself

[Devin76oh in reply to Kingchris]

Yeah I know it can be troublesome. But look at the flip side. You've worked out and nothing has happened. And when you do work out your heart is getting the work that it needs to be strong. You're doing a dis-service to your heart if you don't do something active.

It is hard to get over but if it does not kill you then what do you have to worry about it?